Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is a critical identity and access management (IAM) solution for businesses leveraging Microsoft cloud services. Whether you’re an IT administrator managing user access or a system engineer setting up authentication, adding users correctly ensures security and efficiency. In this guide, we will walk through the process of creating a user in Microsoft Entra ID.
Prerequisites
Before creating a user, ensure that you have the necessary permissions:
- Global Administrator or User Administrator role in Microsoft Entra ID.
- Access to the Microsoft Entra admin center.
Steps to Create a User
1. Sign in to Microsoft Entra Admin Center
- Go to Microsoft Entra admin center.
- Sign in using an account with administrative privileges.
2. Navigate to Users
- In the left-hand menu, select Identity > Users.
- Click + New user.
3. Choose User Type
- Create user: This allows you to manually create a new user within your organization.
- Invite external user: If you need to add a guest (such as a vendor or contractor), select this option.
4. Enter User Details
Fill in the following fields:
- User principal name (UPN): The username in the format username@domain.com.
- Name: The full name of the user.
- Password settings: Either generate an auto-password or set a custom one. You can require the user to change their password on first login.
5. Assign Roles and Groups (Optional)
- Under Groups, add the user to existing groups for access management.
- Under Roles, assign administrative roles if necessary. By default, the user has no admin roles.
6. Configure Settings (Optional)
- Usage location: Some Microsoft services require a location to be set.
- Job title, department, etc.: Fill in optional details to improve user management.
7. Review and Create
- Double-check all entries.
- Click Create to finalize the user creation.
Post-Creation Steps
After creating the user, consider the following:
- Inform the user: Share login details securely.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Improve security by enforcing MFA.
- Assign licenses: If the user needs access to Microsoft 365 or other services, assign the necessary licenses under Licenses & Apps.